Kingdom of Israel

Preamble

This article rests mainly on the religious literature and in particular the Bible.

The essential source must be required in the old will. - the book of Samuel I reports the introduction of the royalty in old Israel and the reign of King Saul. - The book of Samuel II described the reign of King David. - Finally the book of the Kings I evokes the reign of King Salomom, his succession, and the division of the kingdom unified in two kingdoms. The successive reigns of the 2 dynasties are evoked at the end of the Book of the Kings I and in the book of the Kings II.

Peripheral sources can be found in the Book of the Chronicles, but also in the new will, and Coran, where certain historical figures are evoked.

Although these documents have a primarily religious nature, they provide to research an invaluable historical material.

The part concerning the history of the kingdom of north at the 8th century before our era, and in particular its destruction of -722 is on the other hand supported by independent sources.

For historical and archaeological information to see Given archaeological on the reigns of David and Solomon and History of Palestine
For epigraphic information to see History of research on Pentateuque

Biblical account

The Royaume of Israel is the kingdom proclaimed by the Israélites towards -1050. It makes following the time of the Judges d' Israël. According to the Bible, the people wish to have a king “like the other people” and God (via the Prophète Samuel) accepts the principle of king chosen by him . (First book of Samuel, Chap. 8).

Reign of Saül

Of -1020 with -1010, Saül, resulting from the Tribe of Benjamin, is indicated " king d' Israël" by God himself which elects the Samuel prophet for this purpose. Saül reunifies the 12 tribes and reigns on the people of Israel. Its action is primarily soldier. He fights against the Philistins. Having received order of the mouth of the Samuel prophet to destroy the people of Amalek, it saves their king and will be relieved for this enormous fault of having disobeyed the orders of God. It enters in conflict with David which was secretly oint by Samuel on the order of God. David succeeds to him officially only his death.

Reign of David

Of -1010 with -970, David is king of the 12 tribes of Israel after the death of Saül. It is itself resulting from the Tribu of Juda. Its long reign allows, the price many wars, to increase the kingdom, to pacify it and conquer the city of which it makes its capital: Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant is transported there, but it is not authorized to build the Temple of Jerusalem which it wishes to dedicate to God.

Reign of Solomon

Of -972 with -933, Solomon, wire of David, is king d' Israël after one period of fights between the many descendants of David. The ceremony of nomination of Solomon is prepared by his father who chose it among his sons.

Solomon brings the kingdom to his apogee in all the fields. The country grows rich by the regional exchanges. On the religious level, Solomon builds the first Temple Jewish of Jerusalem (known as Temple of Solomon): its construction lasts seven years, in the rectangular form of 50 m out of approximately 30 m. Hiram Ier, King of Tyr (in current the Lebanon) and friend of Solomon, provides the workmen. (Description).

Towards the end of his reign, the people reproach Solomon for perceiving too heavy taxes.

Schism of -933

With died of Solomon, Jéroboam gathers the dissatisfied ones and requires Roboam, wire of Solomon, reduced taxes. The refusal of the new king involves the introduction of a kingdom of Israel (also called kingdom of Samarie ), directed by Jéroboam, independent and gathering 10 tribes, vis-a-vis Roboam, legitimate successor of the dynasty of king David but who does not reign any more but on the 2 tribes of Juda and Benjamin in the south and on the priests of the temple of Jerusalem.

In -933, separation is total between the two Hebrew kingdoms brothers : the Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Juda.

Kingdom of North after the schism

The Kingdom of Israel remains the name of the kingdom of north, resulting from the schism. This kingdom exists of -930 with -722. Its capital is Sichem then Samarie. It is directed by a new dynasty of kings going down from Jeroboam. From a religious point of view, the population would be, according to the Bible, far away from the teaching of Moïse and would have fallen into the Idolâtrie.

After one short period of prosperity at eighth century BC, the country is invaded by the Assyrie in -722, and its population is partially off-set worms of other areas of the Assyrian empire. They would be the " 10 lost tribes of Israël".

The Bible affirms that foreign populations are moved to replace them on their territory. They would have mixed with the local populations, would have created a religion mixing Jew influences and pagan and would have given rise to the Samaritains. However, the religion of the Samaritans, such as we know it, does not present a trace of paganism.

The destruction of the kingdom of Israel marks in the biblical account the disappearance of the 10 tribes of Israel.

The second kingdom survives to him under the name of Royaume of Juda.

See too

Kings d' Israël

Zh-min-nan: Í-sek-lia̍t Ông-kok

Random links: